CHICAGO, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Illinois shoppers purchased about $20 million worth of energy-saving appliances in a few hours to take advantage of federal stimulus funds, an official said.

Shoppers got 15 percent off energy-saving appliances until the rebates reached $3 million in the one-day sale, The Chicago Tribune reported.

"This made Black Friday look like a Tuesday in July," Illinois Retail Merchants Association President David Vite said in a statement about Friday's promotion. "Sales have never been so brisk in Illinois."

Some stores opened early, and about 1,000 shoppers in Glenview waited in the rain for three hours for Abt Electronics superstore to open, the report said.

Stores participating in the government-sponsored event reported sales every hour, and officials said stores would get a two-hour notice before the promotion ended. The $3 million stimulus budget was reached so fast stores received just a 30-minute notice.

Illinois consumers took advantage of a similar promotion in April, getting more than $6 million in rebates on refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and other appliances, the newspaper said.